Marketing : Product Positioning

Al Ries and Jack Trout popularized the concept of positioning in their book Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind. According to them positioning is what a marketer does to mind of the consumer and not to the product itself. Marketers communicate the changes through price, name or package and not the product actually.

According to Philip Kotler "product positioning is the way product is defined by the consumers on important attributes - the place the product occupies in consumers mind relative to competing products".

In marketing after segmentation and targeting comes positioning which allows marketers to build the kind of image they want in the mind of target customers of their products by highlighting its attributes they want consumers to remember when they think of the product. Like, Lifebuoy focuses on antibacterial or germs killing attributes of its products be it soap, handwash or hand sanitizer. On the other hand Lux positions its products soaps and bodywashes as beauty products which helps in enhancing beauty with a touch of luxury and glamour.

Thus Lifebuoy and Lux both differentiate themselves clearly even on offering the same product soap.

Product positioning strategy

Positioning Strategy includes the following steps:

1. Identifying the right competitive advantages.
2. Selecting the right competitive advantage.

The right competitive advantage can be chosen on the following bases:

1. Important
2. Distinctive
3. Superior
4. communicable
5. Pre-emptive
6. Affordable
7. Profitable

3. Communicating the right competitive advantage (i.e. positioning) effectively in the mind of  target market.

The marketer needs to identify the position its product holds in the mind of target market in comparison to its competitors. Then needs to effectively communicate the attributes which he is providing which may be superior or differentiated from their competitors to which the target market gives value like lower price, or some extra or special feature which may justify the higher price to its customers so that they feel they are getting full value in buying that product instead of buying competitor's product.

UGC NET June 2012 Management paper III solved

1. Hawthorne Experiment is related to the

(A) Systems theory
(B) Classical theory
(C) Human relations theory
(D) Scientific management theory

Answer C

2. Cost incurred in the past and is not affected by a current decision is referred to as :

(A) Sunk cost
(B) Marginal cost
(C) Incremental cost
(D) Replacement cost

Answer A

3. The principle of organisation that no employee should report to more than one superior is called

(A) Scalar principle
(B) Span of control
(C) Unity of command
(D) Unity of direction

Answer C

4. ‘Rege Committee’ is related to

(A) Working conditions in Indian Industry
(B) Social security in Indian Industry
(C) Individual differences in Indian Industry
(D) None of the above

Answer A

5. The factors affecting to P/E multiple are

(A) Dividend pay-out ratio and required return
(B) Required return and expected growth rate
(C) Dividend pay-out ratio and expected growth rate
(D) Dividend pay-out ratio, required return and expected growth rate

Answer D

6. Which of the following is not one of the benefits of E-Commerce ?

(A) E-Commerce offers greater flexibility in meeting consumer needs.
(B) E-Commerce can help to reduce cost.
(C) E-Commerce increases potential market share.
(D) E-Commerce increases the net cost per contact.

Answer D

7. Which among the following is not concerned with the PERT evolution ?

(A) Polaris Project
(B) Lockhead Aircraft Corporation
(C) Both (A) and (B)
(D) None of the above

Answer C

8. Before a company decides to target a particular market segment, which important factors are to be examined against organization’s objectives and resources ?

(A) Market size
(B) Growth rate
(C) Structural attractiveness
(D) All of the above

Answer D

9. Balance of Payment is

(A) Balance of trade + Net earnings on invisibles
(B) Foreign exchange inflow – Foreign exchange outflow
(C) Balance of current account + Balance of capital account + Statistical discrepancy
(D) Export of goods – Import of goods

Answer C

10. Factors contributing to unethical behaviour are

(A) Poor leadership
(B) Poor internal communication
(C) Lack of management support
(D) All of the above

UGC NET June 2012 Management paper II solved

1. Cardinal measure of utility is required in

(A) Utility Theory
(B) Indifference Curve Analysis
(C) Revealed Preference
(D) Inferior Goods

Answer A

2. A Right-ward shift in Demand Curve indicates

(A) A decrease in supply
(B) An increase in quantity supplied
(C) An increase in supply over the previous year
(D) Law of Variable Proportions

Answer C

3. Which of the following is the condition for equilibrium for Monopolist ?

(A) MR = MC
(B) MC = AR
(C) MR = MC = Price
(D) AC = AR

Answer A

4. Giffen goods are those goods

(A) for which demand increases as price decreases
(B) which are in short supply
(C) which have high elasticity of demand
(D) which gives rise to a Cob-Web situation.

Answer 

5. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists.

                  List – I                                                        List – II
(Demand Estimation Method)                              (Steps involved)

(a) Customer Interview Method                             1. Consumers Interview
(b) Market Experiment Method                             2. Time series or Cross Section Data
(c) Regression Method                                           3. Market Stimulation
(d) Demand Forecasts                                            4. Market Experiments’ Survey

Codes :
     (a)      (b)      (c)      (d)
(A) 1         3        4         2
(B) 1         3        2         4
(C) 2         4        3         1
(D) 4         2        1         3

Answer B

6. Who divided all activities of the organisations into six groups ; Technical, Commercial, Financial, Security, Accounting and Managerial ?

(A) Peter Drucker
(B) D. E. Mc Forland
(C) Henry Fayol
(D) George R. Terry

Answer C

7. What are the elements that a Mission Statement of an Organisation should include ?

(A) Self guidelines for Business Operations
(B) Identifies the reasons for existence of a company and its responsibilities to the stakeholders.
(C) Identifies the firms’ customers and their needs and matches them to the products and services.
(D) All of the above (A), (B) and (C).

Answer B

8. Changes in population characteristics such as age, gender, race, marital status, income and education are examples of change :

(A) Demographic
(B) Cultural
(C) Geographic
(D) Diversity

Answer A

9. Which of the following is not included as Micro-Environmental Variables ?

(A) Prevailing economic and political conditions.
(B) Emerging new technologies
(C) Financial conditions and culture
(D) None of the above

Answer D

10. During his days at Midvale Steel Company F.W. Taylor saw that employees soldiering – deliberately working at a pace slower than their capabilities. He identified that, worker indulge in soldiering primarily for the following reasons :

(A) Fear of losing jobs if they increase their output.
(B) Faulty wage systems.
(C) Out-dated methods of working
(D) All of the above

UGC NET June 2012 Management paper I solved

1. Video-Conferencing can be classified as one of the following types of communication :

(A) Visual one way
(B) Audio-Visual one way
(C) Audio-Visual two way
(D) Visual two way

Answer C

2. MC National University of Journalism and Communication is located at

(A) Lucknow
(B) Bhopal
(C) Chennai
(D) Mumbai

Answer B

3. All India Radio (A.I.R.) for broadcasting was named in the year

(A) 1926
(B) 1936
(C) 1946
(D) 1956

Answer B

4. In India for broadcasting TV programmes which system is followed ?

(A) NTCS
(B) PAL
(C) NTSE
(D) SECAM

Answer B

5. The term ‘DAVP’ stands for

(A) Directorate of Advertising & Vocal Publicity
(B) Division of Audio-Visual Publicity
(C) Department of Audio-Visual Publicity
(D) Directorate of Advertising & Visual Publicity

Answer D

6. The term “TRP” is associated with TV shows stands for

(A) Total Rating Points
(B) Time Rating Points
(C) Thematic Rating Points
(D) Television Rating Points

Answer A

7. Which is the number that comes next in the following sequence ? 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, 42, 56, _____

(A) 60
(B) 64
(C) 72
(D) 70

Answer C

8. Find the next letter for the series YVSP ………

(A) N
(B) M
(C) O
(D) L

Answer B

9. Given that in a code language, ‘645’ means ‘day is warm’; ‘42’ means ‘warm spring’ and ‘634’ means ‘spring is sunny’; which digit represents ‘sunny’ ?

(A) 3
(B) 2
(C) 4
(D) 5

Answer A

10. The basis of the following classification is : ‘first President of India’ ‘author of Godan’ ‘books in my library’, ‘blue things’ and ‘students who work hard’

(A) Common names
(B) Proper names
(C) Descriptive phrases
(D) Indefinite description

UGC NET December 2012 Management paper III solved

1. Which of the following is not one of the important objectives of Financial Management ?

(A) Profit maximisation
(B) Wealth maximisation
(C) Value maximisation
(D) Social responsibility

Answer D

2. For ‘make or buy decision’, which cost is to be considered ?

(A) Marginal cost
(B) Total cost
(C) Fixed cost
(D) None of the above

Answer A

3. Which is the method applied for measuring GNP ?

(A) Income method
(B) Expenditure method
(C) Value Added method
(D) All of the above

Answer D

4. Which of the following project appraisal method is not based on time value of money ?

(A) Payback method
(B) Net present value method
(C) Internal rate of return method
(D) Discounted payback method

Answer A

5. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006 is related to

(A) Industrial Policy
(B) Investment Limit
(C) Business Opportunities
(D) None of these

Answer B

6. Selection is the process in which candidates for employment are divided into two classes – those who are to be offered employment and those who are not.” This is stated by

(A) Dale Yoder
(B) Milton M. Mandell
(C) R.D. Agarwal
(D) Edwin Flippo

Answer A

7. Who defines advertising as “any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods and services by an identified sponsor ?

(A) Philip Kotler
(B) C.K. Prahlad
(C) Chartered Institute of Marketing
(D) American Marketing Association

Answer D

8. The exchange rate between the currencies of two countries will be equal to the ratio of the price indices in these countries is explained by

(A) Inflation adjustment
(B) Purchase power parity
(C) Interest rate parity
(D) Transaction exposure

Answer B

9. The ultimate mission or purpose is to relate human resources to future enterprise needs, so as to maximize the future return on investment in human resources. It is referred as

(A) Demand and Supply
(B) Forecasting
(C) Human Resource Planning
(D) Human Resource Development

Answer C

10. Other things being equal an increase in income leads to a decrease in demand for

(A) Superior Goods
(B) Inferior Goods
(C) Both (A) and (B)
(D) None of the above

UGC NET December 2012 Management paper II solved

1. The term Opportunity Cost refers to

(A) Variable Cost
(B) Short-run cost
(C) The cost forgone in favour of production of another product
(D) Cost related to an optimum level of production

Answer C

2. If two commodities are complementary, then a rise in the price of one commodity will induce

(A) A rise in the price of the other commodity
(B) An upward shift of demand curve
(C) No shift in demand for the other commodity
(D) A backward shift in demand for the other commodity

Answer D

3. What is the characteristic of a purely competitive market ?

(A) Large number of buyers and sellers
(B) A few sellers
(C) A few buyers
(D) Abnormal profit

Answer A

4. Willingness to pay minus actual payment is called

(A) Consumer’s surplus
(B) Producer’s surplus
(C) Utility cost
(D) Supplier’s surplus

Answer A

5. Match List – I with List – II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists :

                 List – I                                                                      List – II

a. Cost Function                                                         1. Kinky Demand Curve
b. Supply Function                                                     2. Isoquants
c. Production Function                                               3. Engineering Method
d. Oligopoly                                                               4. Factor Prices

Codes :

       a      b      c      d
(A) 3      4       2      1
(B) 4      3       1      2
(C) 3      2       1      4
(D) 1      2       3      4

Answer A

6. When analysing your business and its environment, it is useful to carefully inspect

(A) Threats
(B) Opportunities
(C) Strengths and weaknesses
(D) All of the above

Answer D

7. Which of the following is an example of an external threat ?

(A) Decreased competition
(B) New Trade Regulations
(C) Global Sales Potential
(D) Economies of Scale

Answer B

8. Expectancy Theory of Motivation was propounded by

(A) Porter and Lawler
(B) McGregor
(C) Vroom
(D) J. Stacy Adams

Answer C

9. Which one of the following is not a step in planning ?

(A) Establishing objectives
(B) Developing premises
(C) Determining alternative courses
(D) Identifying needs of employees

Answer D

10. Planning is looking ahead and control is

(A) Scanning environment
(B) Looking back
(C) Setting targets
(D) Defining objectives

UGC NET December 2012 Management paper I solved

1. The English word ‘Communication’ is derived from the words

(A) Communis and Communicare
(B) Communist and Commune
(C) Communism and Communalism
(D) Communion and Common sense

Answer A

2. Chinese Cultural Revolution leader Mao Zedong used a type of communication to talk to the masses is known as

(A) Mass line communication
(B) Group communication
(C) Participatory communication
(D) Dialogue communication

Answer A

3. Conversing with the spirits and ancestors is termed as

(A) Transpersonal communication
(B) Intrapersonal communication
(C) Interpersonal communication
(D) Face-to-face communication

Answer A

4. The largest circulated daily newspaper among the following is

(A) The Times of India
(B) The Indian Express
(C) The Hindu
(D) The Deccan Herald

Answer A

5. The pioneer of the silent feature film in India was

(A) K.A. Abbas
(B) Satyajit Ray
(C) B.R. Chopra
(D) Dada Sahib Phalke

Answer D

6. Classroom communication of a teacher rests on the principle of

(A) Infotainment
(B) Edutainment
(C) Entertainment
(D) Power equation

Answer B

7. The missing number in the series : 0, 6, 24, 60, 120, ?, 336, is

(A) 240
(B) 220
(C) 280
(D) 210

Answer D

8. A group of 7 members having a majority of boys is to be formed out of 6 boys and 4 girls. The number of ways the group can be formed is

(A) 80
(B) 100
(C) 90
(D) 110

Answer B

9. The number of observations in a group is 40. The average of the first 10 members is 4.5 and the average of the remaining 30 members is 3.5. The average of the whole group is

(A) 4
(B) 15/2
(C) 15/4
(D) 6

Answer C

10. If MOHAN is represented by the code KMFYL, then COUNT will be represented by

(A) AMSLR
(B) MSLAR
(C) MASRL
(D) SAMLR

UGC NET September 2013 Management paper III solved

1. The elasticity of demand is greater than unity, when

(A) Percentage change in demand is equal to the percentage change in price.
(B) Percentage change in demand is more than the percentage change in price.
(C) Percentage change in demand is less than the percentage change in price.
(D) There is change in price.

Answer B

2. GDP includes which of the following measures ?

(A) The size of a population that must share a given output within one year.
(B) The negative externalities of the production process of a nation within one year.
(C) The total monetary value of all final goods and services produced within a nation within one year.
(D) The total monetary value of goods and services including barter transactions within a nation in one year.

Answer C

3. If the equation y = 5 + 0.6x was graphed, the

(A) Slope would be – 5
(B) Vertical intercept would be + 0.6
(C) Slope would be + 5
(D) Slope would be + 0.6

Answer D

4. Match the following :

                 List – I                                                                  List – II

(a) The producers will offer more of a                               (i) Market in equilibrium
product at a higher price.
(b) The quantum that producers want to                            (ii) Law of supply
sell is equal to the quantum that consumers
want to buy.
(c) The sensitivity of consumers to price changes.           (iii) Co-efficient of price elasticity of                                                                                                               demand.
(d) Percentage change in quantity demanded to               (iv) Price elasticity of demand
percentage change in price.

Codes :

      (a)      (b)      (c)      (d)
(A) (ii)      (i)     (iii)      (iv)
(B) (iv)     (i)      (ii)      (iii)
(C) (ii)     (iv)    (iii)       (i)
(D) (ii)      (i)     (iv)      (iii)

Answer A

5. Statement I : The slope of an indifference curve is the Marginal Rate of Substitution in the consumption (MRSc), which is increasing.
Statement II : The slope of the budget line is ratio of the prices of two goods and is the Marginal Rate of Substitution in exchange (MRSe)

(A) Statement I and II are correct.
(B) Statement I is correct, but II is incorrect.
(C) Statements I and II are incorrect.
(D) Statement I is not correct, but II is correct.

Answer D

6. Forming a fixed opinion or attitude towards a single person or object is termed as

(A) Perceptual defense
(B) Stereo typing
(C) The Halo effect
(D) The perceptual set

Answer C

7. Which of the following best describes the theory X ?

(A) People are committed to their responsibilities.
(B) Motivation is a result of rational behaviour towards attaining goals.
(C) The perceived relationship between a given level of efforts and an expected performance.
(D) None of the above.

Answer D

8. Hawthorne experiments were conduced at

(A) Hawthorne Electric Company
(B) Western Electric Company
(C) General Electric Company
(D) Eastern Electric Company

Answer B

9. Match the following :

            OD Interventions                                                               Proposed by
            Grouping Term

a. OD Cube                                                                                 1. French and Bell
b. Consul cube                                                                            2. Freneh and Bell
c. Intervention families                                                               3. Blake and Mouton
d. Four quadrants                                                                        4. Schmuck and Miles

Codes :

       a      b      c      d
(A) 4      3      2      1
(B) 3      4      2      1
(C) 2      1      3      4
(D) 1      2      4      3

Answer A

10. Match the following :

a. Stability                                    1. Number of subordinates that report to one supervisor.
b. Strategy                                    2. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
c. Synergy                                    3. Plans for the allocation of firm’s scarce resources to reach                                                                      identified goals in time.
d. Span of control                        4. Employees should not be moved frequently from one job to                                                                    another
Codes :

       a      b      c      d
(A) 4      3      2      1
(B) 3      4      1      2
(C) 2      3      4      1
(D) 1      2      3      4

UGC NET September 2013 Management paper II solved

1. The sum of the value of all final goods and services produced within a country and net factor income from abroad is termed as

(A) GNP
(B) Nominal GDP
(C) NNP
(D) Real GDP

Answer A

2. If a firm raises Rs. 1,00,000 by the issue of debentures at 10%, repayable after 10 years, the rate of return that equates the present value of cash inflows with the present value of cash outflows is referred to as

(A) Explicit cost
(B) Implicit cost
(C) Specific cost
(D) Future cost

Answer A

3. The major objective of economists to monopolies is

(A) lack of technological progress in such industries.
(B) the dangerous impact on democratic government.
(C) the inability in an industry where there is a single producer.
(D) the tendency to restrict output and charge higher price.

Answer D

4. Statement I : Demand for a commodity refers to quantity of the commodity demanded at a certain                             price during any particular period of time.
Statement II : Contraction of demand is the result of increase in the price of the goods concerned.

(A) Both I & II are correct.
(B) Both I and II are incorrect.
(C) I is correct and II is incorrect.
(D) II is correct and I is incorrect.

Answer A

5. Match the items given in List-I with most suitable options given in List-II.

                      List – I                                                               List – II
(a) Rate of discount which equates the net                       (i) Pay back period
present value to zero.
(b) Ratio of present value of cash inflows                       (ii) Internal Rate of Return
to the cash outflow.
(c) Percentage of annual net income earned                   (iii) Profitability Index
on average fund invested in a project.
(d) Investment divided by annual net cash                     (iv) Average Rate of Return
inflow.

Codes :

       (a)      (b)      (c)      (d)
(A) (iii)     (ii)      (iv)     (i)
(B) (iii)     (ii)       (i)     (iv)
(C) (ii)      (iii)     (iv)     (i)
(D) (ii)     (iii)       (i)     (iv)

Answer C

6. The process through which individuals attempt to determine the causes behind others’ behaviour is known as

(A) Perception
(B) Attitude
(C) Attribution
(D) Social identity theory

Answer C

7. Which theory of human motivation focuses on personal perceptions of the performance process ?

(A) Adam’s Theory of Inequality
(B) McClelland’s Need Theory
(C) Vroom’s Expectancy Theory
(D) Alderfer’s ERG Theory

Answer C

8. Annual Reports, Balance Sheets, Brochures and Advertisements in organisational communication are the means to aim at

(A) Influencing
(B) Image building
(C) Group building
(D) Credibility building

Answer B

9. Match the following :

a. Attitudes                                                      1. Beliefs that individuals possess certain
                                                                            characteristics because of their membership in
                                                                            certain groups.
b. Job Satisfaction                                           2. Negative attitude toward the members of
                                                                            specific groups, based solely on the fact that
                                                                            they are members of those groups.
c. Prejudice                                                     3. Positive or negative attitudes held by
                                                                            individuals toward their jobs.
d. Stereo types                                                4. Relatively stable clusters of feelings, beliefs
                                                                            and behavioural intentions toward specific
                                                                            objects, people or institutions.

Codes :

      a      b      c      d
(A) 1     2      3      4
(B) 2     3      4      1
(C) 3     4      1      2

(D) 4     3      2      1

Answer D

10. Match the following :

a. Delegating                                                        1. A function of a situation wherein a
                                                                                 leader is effective only when the style used to
                                                                                 influence and alter the situation is appropriate.
b. Situational theory                                            2. Low nurturing and low regulating behaviour.
c. Grid training                                                    3. A function of a situation wherein a leader
                                                                                 permits subordinates to take part in decision
                                                                                 making and permit them a considerable
                                                                                degree of autonomy.
d. Participative Leadership                                 4. A multi step process designed to cultivate
                                                                                concern for people and concern for production.

Codes :

      a      b      c      d
(A) 1     2      3      4
(B) 2     1      4      3
(C) 3     2      4      1
(D) 4     3      1      2

UGC NET September 2013 Management paper I solved

SET W

1. The world population growth rate at a certain reference year was 3.5%. Assuming exponential growth of population, after how many years, the population of the world would have increased by a factor 16 ?

(A) ~ 80 years
(B) ~ 40 years
(C) ~ 160 years
(D) ~ 320 years

Answer A

2. Telephone is an example of

(A) linear communication
(B) non-linear communication
(C) circular
(D) mechanised

Answer A

3. Means of grapevine communication are

(A) formal
(B) informal
(C) critical
(D) corporate

Answer B

4. Communication issues at the international level are addressed by

(A) ILO
(B) ITU
(C) UNDP
(D) UNESCO

Answer D

5. Referential framing used by TV audience connects media with

(A) reality
(B) falsity
(C) negativity
(D) passivity

Answer A

6. The communicated knowledge in a classroom is considered as

(A) non-pervasive treasure
(B) limited judgement
(C) autonomous virtue
(D) cultural capital

Answer D

7. Classroom communication is normally considered as

(A) effective
(B) affective
(C) cognitive
(D) non-selective

Answer C

8. A person writes all the numbers from 0 to 99. The number of times digit 3 will be written is

(A) 18
(B) 19

(C) 20
(D) 21

Answer C

9. Starting from point A, Ajit walks 14 metres towards west, he then turns to his right and walks 14 metres and then turns to his left and walks 10 metres. He again turns to his left and walks 14 metres and reaches to the point E. The shortest distance between A and E is

(A) 38
(B) 42
(C) 52
(D) 24

Answer D

10. A, B, C, D, E and F are sitting around a round table. A is between E and F. E is opposite to D and C is not in either of the neighbouring seats of E. The person opposite to B is

(A) C
(B) D
(C) A
(D) F

UGC NET June 2013 Management paper III solved

1. From the following identify one which is not a collusive oligopoly model

(A) Cartels
(B) Edgeworth Model
(C) Price Leadership
(D) Market Share Model

Answer B

2. The rate at which the consumer can trade one good for another is termed as marginal rate of substitution in

(A) exchange
(B) consumption
(C) production
(D) the distribution

Answer A

3. If demand equation is given by D = 1000 – P and the supply equation is given by S = 100 + 4P, price will be

(A) 160
(B) 180
(C) 170
(D) 200

Answer B

4. Arrange the following steps, involved in the estimation of a demand function using econometric analysis, in the proper order

(i) Collection of data
(ii) Estimating the parameters of the model
(iii) Mathematical specification of the relationship among the variables
(iv) Using the estimates to arrive at the estimates of variables.
(v) Identification of variables

Codes :

(A) (v), (i), (iii), (iv), (ii)
(B) (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v)
(C) (i), (ii), (iv), (iii), (v)
(D) (v), (i), (iii), (ii), (iv)

Answer D

5. Match the items given in Column A with the suitable items given in Column B :

            Column A                                                             Column B

a. Maximisation of society’s welfare                          i. Equilibrium
even when individuals behave
selfishly to further their own
economic status.
b. State of balance from which there                          ii. Non-Satiation
is no tendency to change.
c. Best possible state within a given set                     iii. The invisible hand
of constraints.
d. A situation wherein a customer always                 iv. Optimisation
prefer more of goods to less of goods.

Codes :

       a      b       c      d
(A) iv     i      iii      ii
(B) ii      i      iv      iii
(C) iii     i      iv      ii
(D) iv     i      ii      iii

Answer C

6. Which one is not the technique of personality measurement ?

(A) Projective Technique
(B) Word Association Technique
(C) Raven’s Progressive Matrices
(D) Sentence Completion Technique

Answer C

7. Drive is explained by

(A) any strong stimulus that impels action.
(B) any object, event exiting in the environment.
(C) anything that increases the repetition of behaviour.
(D) none of the above

Answer A

8. Consider the following phases of Organisational Development (OD) :

a. Entry into the organisation
b. Development of internal resources
c. Problem identification
d. Specific intervention
e. Building a collaborative culture

Rearrange the above stages in an orderly sequence :

(A) a → c → b → d → e
(B) a → b → c → d → e
(C) c → b → a → e → d
(D) a → c → d → e → b

Answer D

9. Match the following : 

           Explanation                                                                    Term

a. The beliefs or ideas one has                                                1. Attitude
about an object or situation
b. The feelings or emotions one                                             2. Cognitive component
has about an object or situation
c. Psychological discomfort experienced                              3. Affective component
when attitudes and behaviour are inconsistent
d. How one intends to act or behave                                     4. Behavioural component
toward someone or something
e. Learned predisposition toward a given                             5. Cognitive dissonance
object

Codes :

       a      b      c      d      e
(A) 1      2      3      4      5
(B) 2      3      5      4      1
(C) 3      2      4      5      1
(D) 5      3      4      2      1

Answer B

10. Match the theories given in Column – I with the explanations in Column – II :

                  Column – I                                                         Column – II

a. Super ego                                                 1. Individual moves from a state of passivity
                                                                         as a child to state of activity as an adult.
b. Closure                                                    2. Social values and personal norms that serve
                                                                        as an ethical constraint on behaviour.
c. Immaturity – Maturity Theory                3. Perception of a person about how others are
                                                                        perceiving his qualities.
d. Looking glass-self                                  4. People when faced with incomplete
                                                                        information tend to fill gaps themselves.

Codes :

       a      b      c      d
(A) 1      2      3      4
(B) 1      2      4      3
(C) 2      1      3      4
(D) 2      4      1      3

UGC NET June 2013 Management paper II solved

1. The hypothesis that ‘consumption in one period would be a function of income in that period and the returns on savings of the previous period’ is given by

(A) Irving Fisher
(B) Franco Modigliani
(C) Duesenberry
(D) Robert Hall

Answer B

2. From the following identify one which is not a property of Indifference curve ?

(A) Indifference curves are downward sloping.
(B) Indifference curves are concave to the origin.
(C) Indifference curves are convex to the origin.
(D) Indifference curves do not intersect each other.

Answer B

3. Which one of the following statements is true ?

(A) Business decisions cannot be taken without a sound knowledge of Macro Economic Theories.
(B) Knowledge of Economic Theory is misleading in making business decisions.
(C) With the help of Economic Theories, it is always possible to predict the future accurately.
(D) Every Economic Theory is based on realistic facts which are common to all societies.

Answer A

4. Arrange the following in the proper order for decision under capital budgeting.

(i) Estimating the cost and benefits of proposals.
(ii) Deciding the investment objective.
(iii) Selecting the best investment proposal.
(iv) Applying the capital budgeting decision technique.

Codes :

(A) (ii) (iv) (i) (iii)
(B) (ii) (iv) (iii) (i)
(C) (ii) (i) (iv) (iii)
(D) (ii) (i) (iii) (iv)

Answer C

5. Match the following items in List – A with the most appropriate options from List – B :
               
                   List-A                                                               List-B

a. A lender buys securities to protect                           1. Interest rate collar
himself from a falling interest rate
b. A borrower buys securities to                                  2. Interest rate cap
protect himself from rising
interest rate
c. A combination of interest rate                                 3. Interest rate corridor
cap and floor
d. A combination of two or more                                4. Interest rate floor
interest rate caps

Codes :

       a      b      c      d
(A) 2      4      3      1
(B) 4      2      1      3
(C) 4      2      3      1
(D) 3      2      1      4

Answer B

6. The form of learning in which people acquire new behaviours by systematically observing the rewards and punishments given to others is known as

(A) Operant conditioning
(B) Positive reinforcement
(C) Modelling
(D) Law of effect

Answer A

7. Diffusion of routine information takes place through

(A) Downward Communication
(B) Upward Communication
(C) Horizontal Communication
(D) External Communication

Answer A

8. An integrated group of activities to bring about a change is known as

(A) Organisation development
(B) Interventions
(C) OCTAPACE
(D) Collaborative culture

Answer A

9. Match the following :

a. Motivation is a function of                                                           1. Expectancy Theory
fairness in social exchanges.

b. People are motivated to behave in ways                                       2. Alderfer’s ERG Theory
that produce valued outcomes.

c. Determining specific levels of performance for                           3. Equity Theory
workers to attain and then striving to attain them.

d. When people are frustrated by their inability                              4. Goal- Setting Theory
to meet needs at the next higher level in the
hierarchy, they regress to the next lower
category of needs and intensify their
desire to gratify these needs.


Codes :

       a       b      c       d
(A) 1       2       3       4
(B) 4       3       2       1
(C) 3       1       4       2
(D) 3       4       1       2

Answer C

10. Match the following :

a. Selfefficacy                                                    1. Determining specific levels of performance
                                                                                for workers to attain them.
b. Goal setting                                                    2. The belief that one’s efforts will positively                                                                                                influence one’s performance.
c. Expectancy                                                     3. People strive to maintain ratio of their own
                                                                                outcomes to their own inputs that are equal to
                                                                                that of those with whom they compare                                                                                                     themselves.
d. Equity Theory                                                4. One’s belief about having the capacity to
                                                                               perform a task.

Codes :

       a       b      c       d
(A) 1       2      3        4
(B) 4       1      2        3
(C) 3       4      1        2
(D) 2       3      4        1

UGC NET Dec 2013 Management paper I solved

SET W

1. Which is the main objective of research ?

(A) To review the literature
(B) To summarize what is already known
(C) To get an academic degree
(D) To discover new facts or to make fresh interpretation of known facts

Answer D

2. Sampling error decreases with the

(A) decrease in sample size
(B) increase in sample size
(C) process of randomization
(D) process of analysis

Answer B

3. The principles of fundamental research are used in

(A) action research
(B) applied research
(C) philosophical research
(D) historical research

Answer B

4. Users who use media for their own ends are identified as

(A) Passive audience
(B) Active audience
(C) Positive audience
(D) Negative audience

Answer B

5. Classroom communication can be described as

(A) Exploration
(B) Institutionalisation
(C) Unsignified narration
(D) Discourse

Answer D

6. Ideological codes shape our collective

(A) Productions
(B) Perceptions
(C) Consumptions
(D) Creations

Answer B

7. In communication, myths have power, but are

(A) uncultural
(B) insignificant
(C) imprecise
(D) unpreferred

Answer C

8. The first multi-lingual news agency of India was

(A) Samachar
(B) API
(C) Hindustan Samachar
(D) Samachar Bharati

Answer C

9. Organisational communication can also be equated with

(A) intra-personal communication
(B) inter-personal communication
(C) group communication
(D) mass communication

Answer C

10. If two propositions having the same subject and predicate terms are such that one is the denial of the other, the relationship between them is called

(A) Contradictory
(B) Contrary
(C) Sub-contrary
(D) Sub-alternation

UGC NET Dec 2013 Management paper III solved

1. Match the items of List – I with those of List – II and give the correct code from the 
following :

List – I                                                                                         List – II

a. Sales Maximisation Model                                          i. John Williamson
b. Managerial Discretion Model                                     ii. R.M. Cyert and J.G. March
c. Integrative Model                                                        iii. William J. Baumol
d. Behavioural Model                                                      iv. Oliver Williamson

Codes :

        a    b     c    d
 (A) ii    iii   iv    i
 (B) iii   iv    i     ii
 (C) i     ii    iii    iv
 (D) iv   i     ii     iii

Answer B

2. Match the items of the following two lists and give the correct code for the following :

       List – I                                                                                    List – II

a. Scale of Preferences                                                           i. Indifference Curves
b. Inadequate Explanation of Giffen Goods                         ii. Ordinal Utility
c. Curves always slope negatively                                       iii. Demand Curves
d. Inseparation of Income and Substitution effects              iv. Marshallian Utility Analysis

Codes :

        a     b     c     d
 (A) ii     i     iii    iv
 (B) i     iii    iv     ii
 (C) ii    iv     i     iii
 (D) iii   ii     iv     i

Answer C

3. Cost-plus pricing is not suitable for

 (A) Monopoly Pricing
 (B) Product Tailoring
 (C) Refusal Pricing
 (D) Monopsony Pricing

Answer A

4. Indicate the correct code matching the items of List – I with those in List – II as follows :

              List – I                                                                                     List – II

a. Resorting to New Technology                                      i. Cost reduction through output expansion
b. Excess Capacity of the Plant                                        ii. Constant cost despite output expansion
c. Employees’ Training Centres                                      iii. Internal Economies
d. Reserve Capacity of the Plant                                      iv. External Economies

Codes :

       a      b      c      d
 (A) i     iii     ii      iv
 (B) iii    i      iv      ii
 (C) iv    ii      i      iii
 (D) ii    iv    iii      i

Answer B

5. In a mixed economy, the central problems are solved through which of following ?

 (A) Price mechanism
 (B) Regulated market mechanism
 (C) Market mechanism and economic planning
 (D) Economic planning and control

Answer C

6. Indicate the correct code matching the items in List – I with those in List – II as follows :

          List – I                                                                                    List – II

a. Excess of aggregate investment over                            i. Stability of National Income
aggregate savings, at full employment level
b. Equality of aggregate income                                       ii. Recessionary gap                  
and savings
c. Comparatively greater decrease in                               iii. Multiplier effect
income following a decrease in investment
d. Aggregate expenditure being less than                        iv. Inflationary gap
national income at full employment level

Codes :

       a     b     c      d
(A) ii     iv     i     iii
(B) iv     i     iii     ii
(C) iii    ii     iv     i
(D) i     iii     ii     iv

Answer B

7. The study of gestures and body postures for their impact on communication is known as :

(A) Kinesics
(B) Proximics
(C) Semantics
(D) Informal channels

Answer A

8. Which of the following deals with “what, why, when and how” tasks to be performed ?

(A) Job Analysis
(B) Job Description
(C) Job Specification
(D) Job Enrichment

Answer B

9. According to Henry Mintberg, managers perform three roles. Indicate the one role which is not among them.

(A) Decisional
(B) Informational
(C) Interpersonal
(D) Supervisory

Answer D

10. The Ringlemann effect describes

(A) the tendency of groups to make risky decisions
(B) social loafing
(C) social facilitation
(D) the satisfaction of members’ social needs

UGC NET Management June 2013 solved paper 1

SET - X

1. Choose the proper alternative given in the codes to replace the question mark.
    Bee – Honey, Cow – Milk, Teacher – ?

(A) Intelligence
(B) Marks
(C) Lessons
(D) Wisdom

Answer D

2. P is the father of R and S is the son of Q and T is the brother of P. If R is the sister of S, how is Q related to T ?

(A) Wife
(B) Sister-in-law
(C) Brother-in-law
(D) Daughter-in-law

Answer B

3. A definition put forward to resolve a dispute by influencing attitudes or stirring emotions is called

(A) Lexical
(B) Persuasive
(C) Stipulative
(D) Precisions

Answer B

4. Which of the codes given below contains only the correct statements ?

Statements :
(i) Venn diagram is a clear method of notation.
(ii) Venn diagram is the most direct method of testing the validity of categorical syllogisms.
(iii) In Venn diagram method the premises and the conclusion of a categorical syllogism is diagrammed.
(iv) In Venn diagram method the three overlapping circles are drawn for testing a categorical syllogism.

Codes :

(A) (i), (ii) & (iii)
(B) (i), (ii) & (iv)
(C) (ii), (iii) & (iv)
(D) (i), (iii) & (iv)

Answer B

5. Inductive reasoning presupposes

(A) unity in human nature
(B) integrity in human nature
(C) uniformity in human nature
(D) harmony in human nature

Answer C

Read the table below and based on this table answer questions from 6 to 11 : 

Area under Major Horticulture Crops (in lakh hectares)

Year	Fruits	Vegetables	Flowers	Total Horticulture Area
2005-06	53	72	1	187
2006-07	56	75	1	194
2007-08	58	78	2	202
2008-09	61	79	2	207
2009-10	63	79	2	209

6. Which of the following two years have recorded the highest rate of increase in area under the total horticulture ?

(A) 2005–06 & 2006–07
(B) 2006–07 & 2008–09
(C) 2007–08 & 2008–09
(D) 2006–07 & 2007–08

Answer D

7. Shares of the area under flowers, vegetables and fruits in the area under total horticulture are respectively :

(A) 1, 38 and 30 percent
(B) 30, 38 and 1 percent
(C) 38, 30 and 1 percent
(D) 35, 36 and 2 percent

Answer A

8. Which of the following has recorded the highest rate of increase in area during 2005-06 to 
2009-10 ?

(A) Fruits
(B) Vegetables
(C) Flowers
(D) Total horticulture

Answer C

9. Find out the horticultural crop that has recorded an increase of area by around 10 percent from 2005-06 to 2009-10

(A) Fruits
(B) Vegetables
(C) Flowers
(D) Total horticulture

Answer B

10. What has been the share of area under fruits, vegetables and flowers in the area under total horticulture in 2007- 08 ?

(A) 53 percent
(B) 68 percent
(C) 79 percent
(D) 100 percent

UGC NET Management June 2014 solved paper I

This paper contains 60 questions out of which 50 are to be attempted. If more than 50 questions are answered then first 50 answers will be examined. Each question contains 2 marks each.

SET - W

1. Break-down in verbal communication is described as

(A) Short circuit

(B) Contradiction

(C) Unevenness

(D) Entropy

Answer D

2. The Telephone Model of Communication was first developed in the area of

(A) Technological theory

(B) Dispersion theory

(C) Minimal effects theory

(D) Information theory

Answer D

3. The Dada Saheb Phalke Award for 2013 has been conferred on

(A) Karan Johar

(B) Amir Khan

(C) Asha Bhonsle

(D) Gulzar

Answer D

4. Photographs are not easy to

(A) Publish

(B) Secure

(C) Decode

(D) Change

Answer C

5. The grains that appear on a television set when operated are also referred to as

(A) sparks

(B) green dots

(C) snow

(D) rain drops

Answer C

6. In circular communication, the encoder becomes a decoder when there is

(A) noise

(B) audience

(C) criticality

(D) feedback

Answer D

7. In a post-office, stamps of three different denominations of Rs. 7, Rs. 8, Rs. 10 are available. The exact amount for which one cannot buy stamps is

(A) 19

(B) 20

(C) 23

(D) 29

Answer A

8. In certain coding method, the word QUESTION is encoded as DOMESTIC. In this coding, what is the code word for the word RESPONSE?

(A) OMESUCEM

(B) OMESICSM

(C) OMESICEM

(D) OMESISCM

Answer C

9. If the series 4, 5, 8, 13, 14, 17, 22, .... is continued in the same pattern, which one of the
    following is not a term of this series?

(A) 31

(B) 32

(C) 33

(D) 35

Answer C

10. Complete the series BB, FE, II, ML, PP, ........... by choosing one of the following option given:

(A) TS

(B) ST

(C) RS

(D) SR

UGC NET Management June 2014 Paper III solved

 1. In case a decrease in price of a commodity results in an increase in its demand on a negatively sloping demand curve, it is called

(A) An increase in demand

(B) An increase in quantity demanded

(C) Law of demand

(D) Any of the above

Answer B

2. Production function is not based on the assumption of the

(A) Substitutability of inputs

(B) Complementarity of inputs

(C) Marketability of products

(D) Specificity of inputs

Answer C

3. Match the items of the following two lists and indicate the correct code :

       List – I                                                                     List – II

a. Trade channel discounts                                        i. Oligopoly pricing

b. Tie-up sales                                                           ii. Locational price differentials

c. Price being nonresponsive to changes in              iii. Differential pricing

    demand costs

d. Basing-point pricing                                               iv. Product-line pricing

  Codes :

        a         b        c        d

(A)   iv         ii        iii         i

(B)   iii         iv        i         ii

(C)   ii          i         iv       iii

(D)    I         iii        ii        iv

Answer B

4. Indicate the correct code matching the items in List – I with those in List – II as follows :

         List – I                                                                                    List – II

a. Competitive parity in advertising                         i. Variations in advertising

b. Promotional elasticity of product                         ii. Advertising scheduling

c. Optimal promotion mix                                        iii. Advertising expenditure

d. Pulsing advertising                                              iv. Marginal equivalence of dvertising                                 

                                                                                     media outlay

Codes :

                                                                                         

        a       b       c       d

(A)   ii       iii        i       iv

(B)   iii       i        iv       ii

(C)   i       iv        ii       iii

(D)   iv      ii        iii       i

Answer B

5. Macroeconomics basically concerns with which of following in an economy?

(A) Industry, Trade and Commerce

(B) Agriculture, Industry & Trade

(C) Employment, Inflation & Growth

(D) Population, Income and Economic Planning

Answer C

6. The competition commission of India has no rule in regulating which of the following?

(A) Restrictive Trade Agreements

(B) Abuse of Market Power

(C) Unfair Trade Practices

(D) Mergers and Acquisitions

Answer C

7. The ability to understand, communicate with, motivate and support other people, both individually and in groups, defines which of the following management skills?

(A) Hard Skills

(B) Soft Skills

(C) Conceptual Skills

(D) Political Skills

Answer B

8. As __________, managers receive a wide variety of information and serve as the nerve centers of internal and external information of the organization.

(A) Leaders

(B) Monitors

(C) Distribution handlers

(D) Resource allocators

Answer B

9. Which one is the correct combination?

(A) Theory of Conditioning – Bernara

(B) Operant Conditioning Theory – B.F. Skinner

(C) Stimulus Response Theory – Hoodman

(D) Theory of Associates – Marshall

Answer B

10. Match the following:

           List – I                                                                      List – II

a. Evaluative statements or judgments                       i. Attitudes

    concerning objects, people or events

b. The opinion or belief segment of                            ii. Cognitive Component

    an attitude

c. The emotional or feeling segment                          iii. Affective Component

    of an attitude

d. An intention to behave in a certain way                 iv. Behavioural component

    towards someone or something

Codes :

         a        b        c        d

(A)    i         ii         iii        iv

(B)    iv       iii         ii         i

(C)    iv       ii         iii        i

(D)    i        iii         ii         iv

Answer A

11. As per Rorsach value survey, which of the following is not an instrumental value?

(A) Ambitious

(B) Imagination

(C) Wise

(D) Capable

Answer C

12. When we judge someone on the basis of our perception of the group to which

      he or she belongs, we are using the shortcut, called ________

(A) Selective Perceptive

(B) Halo effect

(C) Contrast effect

(D) Stereotyping

Answer D

13. Performance = f (m, a, e). In this expression ‘e’ stands for

(A) Efficiency

(B) Effectiveness

(C) Environment

(D) Entrepreneurship

Answer C

14. Selecting a representative sample of jobs, preparing job descriptions for

      them, comparing them on the basis of the information in the job descriptions

      and placing them in order of their perceived importance represents which of

      the following job evaluation methods?

(A) Job grading method

(B) Job ranking method

(C) Points rating method

(D) Guide chart method

Answer B

15. Match the following:

          List – I                                                                      List – II

a. A pay plan in which most employees are                i. Elitest pay system

    part of the same compensation system.

b. A pay plan in which different compensation            ii. Skill based pay

    systems are established for employees or

    groups at different organizational levels.

c. A pay system in which employees are                    iii. Egalitarian pay system

    paid on the basis of the jobs they can do.         

d. The perceived fairness of the pay structure            iv. Internal equity

     within a firm.

Codes :

        a        b        c        d

(A)    i        ii         iii       iv

(B)   iii        i         ii        iv

(C)    i        iii        ii        iv

(D)   iii       ii          i        iv